Air conditioning systems for high-rise buildings often have compressor/condenser units located on a roof top of a building and air handling units with evaporators located below the roof and at or close to the particular floors of the building that are air conditioned by the systems. Some buildings have some compressor/condenser units that are located at a lower floor of the building because of limitations on maximum vertical separation between the compressor/condenser units and the evaporators. For example, the vertical separation between evaporator units and the compressor/condenser units is typically limited to about 200 feet.
In general, the limitation on the maximum vertical distance between compressor/condenser units and the evaporator units of high-rise buildings is a result of lubrication oil entering the refrigerant lines of the cooling systems. To illustrate, lubrication oil is typically used to lubricate a compressor of an air conditioning system. Although the lubrication oil is intended to remain in the compressor, some of the oil may enter the refrigerant line at the compressor and circulate through the system along with the refrigerant. The path of the lubrication oil that enters the refrigerant line includes the piping from the compressor, that is typically located at the roof top in the same unit or otherwise along with the condenser unit, to the air handling unit with the evaporator that is located at a lower elevation than the compressor and condenser unit. The weight of the lubrication oil in the refrigerant line can limit the maximum vertical separation between the evaporator unit and the compressor. To illustrate, the maximum vertical separation between the evaporator unit and the compressor has to be limited to avoid excessive accumulation of the oil in the evaporator unit, which can result in a reduced efficiency and possible damage to the air conditioning system.
Locating compressor/condenser units at the roof top of a high-rise building may also pose additional challenges related to billing occupants/tenants individually because of the required high voltage wiring. Further, the landlord of the building, instead of the occupants/tenants, is often responsible for the proper operation and maintenance of the compressor/condenser units partly because of the inconvenient location of the units to occupants/tenants. Additionally, locating additional compressor/condenser units at a lower floor of the building for air conditioning of lower floors may take up a large area that can otherwise be used as for income generating purposes. Thus, a solution that enables providing air conditioning for high-rise buildings efficiently and cost effectively is desirable.
The drawings illustrate only example embodiments and are therefore not to be considered limiting in scope. The elements and features shown in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the example embodiments. Additionally, certain dimensions or placements may be exaggerated to help visually convey such principles. In the drawings, reference numerals designate like or corresponding, but not necessarily identical, elements.